Wife of assaulted Colonel leads protest in Patiala, kin demand shifting of SSP

Ex-servicemen, politicians and members of several social organisations on Saturday staged a protest outside the District Administrative Complex (DAC) in Patiala against the brutal thrashing of an Army Colonel and his son by police personnel over a week ago.

They accused the police of protecting the accused through a “botched up” investigation. The officer’s family members demanded a CBI probe and the transfer of Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nanak Singh.

On Friday, the police had registered a fresh FIR in the assault case on the complaint of the Colonel and constituted a three-member special investigation team to probe the incident that took place on March 13.

The statement of the Colonel names the police officials who assaulted him. The accused include Inspectors Harry Boparai, Ronnie Singh and Harjinder Dhillon and Shaminder Singh.

Earlier, the authorities had suspended 12 police officials and sent them out of district so that they could not influence the investigation.

The Army officer’s family rejected the SIT and demanded a CBI probe.

In the evening, Deputy Commissioner Preeti Yadav reached the protest site, where a memorandum was submitted to her.

The Colonel’s wife, Jaswinder Kaur, praised Yadav for standing by her.

Yadav urged those gathered at the spot to end the protest. But the protestors said the agitation would continue till their demands were met.

Jaswinder Kaur said such was the laxity in handling the case that SSP Nanak Singh “took 48 hours” to meet her husband. An e-rickshaw driver, identifying himself as Ravinder, appeared at the dharna site and claimed that he was an eyewitness and saw the Colonel being thrashed by the cops.

Congress Lok Sabha member Dharamvira Gandhi, BJP leader and former MP Preneet Kaur also condemned the Punjab Government for “delaying justice” in the assault case.

Kaur said she did not come in the capacity of a politician, rather she had come in the capacity of the wife of a former Army officer (Amarinder Singh). Preneet Kaur demanded the inclusion of senior Army members in the SIT formed to probe the attack.

Gandhi, who stayed at the protest venue till late evening, condemned the ruling government for “reducing Punjab into a police state with no scope of democratic rights and liberty of people”. Social activist Colonel JS Gill (Retd) said there was an undercurrent against the police.

“I believe it is high time the Punjab Police come out of their militancy-era hangover and stop acting like an armed militia. It is important to introduce police reforms. Refresher courses under the supervision of seniors and psychological tests of police officials, including IPS officers, should be conducted from time to time to ensure proper public conduct,” said Gill.

Meanwhile, Inspector Ronnie Singh’s wife Deepika came out in her husband’s defence. She said the incident should not be turned into a media trial and it should not be projected as a police versus Army event. She said she also came from the family with an Army background and their relatives had taken part in wars and even laid down their lives to protect the nation.